The rumor mill is swirling over a possible UFC comeback for Nate Diaz, and one ex-fighter has heard positive things from the man himself.
Diaz has not competed in the UFC since 2022, when he fought out his contract in a pay-per-view main event against fellow veteran Tony Ferguson. That matchup came about on short notice after the Stockton star’s original opponent, Khamzat Chimaev, missed weight.
Ending his tenure in style, Diaz submitted Ferguson with a guillotine choke at UFC 279, a result that certainly left many with an appetite for more of the fan favorite inside the Octagon.
And if this UFC legend is to be believed, there is a good chance that they get their wish.
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Chael Sonnen confident Nate Diaz will return to the UFC after speaking with him
The 40-year-old has competed in a pair of boxing matches in the three years since leaving the UFC. After Diaz first lost to Jake Paul, he got revenge on the man responsible for his penultimate defeat in the Octagon. Five years removed from their BMF showdown at Madison Square Garden, Diaz beat Jorge Masvidal in the ring to avenge his 2019 setback.
The former UFC title challenger has not fought since, despite Paul offering Diaz a rematch in MMA and Josh Thomson claiming Diaz’s agents have a contract for a bout.
Recent weeks have instead seen the Stockton native post about Max Holloway and his BMF strap on social media, and Chael Sonnen says UFC comeback talk is more than just baseless rumors after having spoken to Diaz himself.
“I don’t believe that Nate is going to come back against any 155-pounder,” Sonnen said on ESPN MMA’s Good Guy/Bad Guy YouTube show. “I have noticed when Nate is calling guys out, sometimes he defers to when he fought at 155.
“I don’t think that that’s in his cards, but I do think — and I’ve spoken to Nate personally — a return is more possible than some people give it credit for.”
Nate Diaz shared a hitlist for his potential UFC return
It seems that Diaz has been pondering a UFC comeback for a while, and he even has a few names in mind that he would like to share the cage with.
Diaz shared a three-man UFC hitlist for his potential return earlier this year, starting with a long-awaited trilogy against Conor McGregor.
“I plan on going back to the UFC,” Diaz said on the HJR Podcast. “If they have me, I would like to go back and f—– whoop someone’s ass there.
“I’m not fighting in there because there’s nobody to fight really. It’s kinda slow rolling.
“Whenever he’s back,” Diaz said, when asked about a trilogy fight with McGregor. “Me and him for sure got unfinished business. Got to happen.”
The Stockton star went on to list two other names: Holloway, the holder of the belt he’s been laying claim to, and current lightweight king Ilia Topuria, who knocked out Charles Oliveira to reach a second throne in late June.
“(The BMF title is) the most entertaining s— there is. I hope you (Holloway) know you’re wearing my belt,” Diaz said.
“Those are the guys right there who I wanna fight like Max Holloway. But, besides that, I would like to fight other guys really good too…Topuria, he’s really good.”